


even the strong need a lifeline sometimes

by imaginarydaydreams



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, I have feelings and they are not good feelings, Persona 5 Royal - Freeform, Persona 5 Spoilers, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Takuto Maruki makes me depressed, at this point Akira Kurusu needs a fucking hug so badly, don't read if you're not finished with the game this is full of spoilers for the end and bad end, so I will damn well write this good boy getting a hug, the first bad end of Third Semester makes me depressed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:47:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24025321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginarydaydreams/pseuds/imaginarydaydreams
Summary: Akira Kurusu needs a hug for all his troubles.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 56





	even the strong need a lifeline sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by @tealcoloredtrash's fic [Strained](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22784191). Please give it a read; Persona 2 feels are always welcomed.

**“So will you deny this happiness? Or will you accept this reality as the true reality? I need your answer.”**

Takuto looked down at both Akira and Akechi from his place on the stage, grinning with hands spread about him as he asked for their final answer. Next to him, Kasumi—no, Sumire slept upon a gilded throne of pure white, just like the rest of the clean, unnaturally sterile auditorium.

There was that smile again. The gentle smile that encouraged him to let his guard down; that gleamed at Akira’s quick-witted responses; that joked with him as their glasses fogged over during their last lunch together…

_The smile that now asked him to reject reality for a falsified belief, a cruel yet beautiful lie to live in._

Akira thought back to his friends yet again. Their faces flashed before his mind’s eye, one by one, and his mask of confidence and calm that he wore as Joker nearly broke.

If he rejected Takuto’s deal, he would be condemning his friends back to a world where their struggles followed them like the shadows they fought. Yet, if he accepted, then what would happen then? Would the world just live in blissful yet stagnated ignorance? His gaze turned towards Akechi, who merely looked at Takuto with that hateful glint in his eyes. And what of Akechi once this false world disappeared? He still refused to answer how he survived. What would happen to him then?

Break his friends’ hearts or break the chains of uniformity? It was a harder choice than when Yaldabaoth had asked, but…

**“I…accept.”**

His words came out as a shaky whisper, carrying the broken shards of his heart along the wind. Next to him, he could already hear the disbelief in Akechi’s voice as he begged him to reconsider, but Akira’s mind was already made up.

He just couldn’t break his precious teammates, his _friends’_ hearts like that. Not even for what was right. 

**“Really?”** Takuto sounded genuinely surprised at Akira’s choice, and honestly, who could blame him? It was wrong but was it really? **“You’ll truly accept this world?”**

**“Yes. I…will.”**

* * *

Everything felt like a dream.

As the group stood outside of Shujin to celebrate Makoto’s and Haru’s graduation, Akira stared at his friends, taking in each of their smiles while they chatted about their future plans. Futaba would be attending Shujin as a first year come next semester, perhaps even accompanied by Morgana; Yusuke was pondering over whether to transfer from Kosei; and Ann, Makoto, and Haru were laughing at Ryuji’s enthusiasm for the two upperclassmen to “graduate” properly by popping the lid off their diplomas. Even Akechi had been excited about his future plans to become a freelance detective, finally taking the break he deserved.

Kasumi soon ran up to them, hair tied up in her signature ponytail, as she said her congrats to the pair through huffs of breath, asking for a picture of everyone to remember this moment. She passed Akechi her phone as everyone got into position, filing together in a group. Akechi readied the phone, giving a signal as he aligned the camera just right—

**“Do you need someone else to take the picture?”**

Just as he was about to snap a commemorative picture of the group in front of Shujin for one final time, a voice resounded through the silence. Akira and the others looked over to see a man approaching them, a hat pulled down to cover his eyes.

**“You guys are friends, right? So it’s only right for you all to be in the picture.”**

The group looked at one another, a silence agreement between them, before Akechi handed the strange man the phone and took his place next to Akira.

**“Okay, on three! One, two, three!”**

The sound of a camera snap and the joyful moment was captured, the man handing them back the phone just before Futaba grabbed onto it to take a look at how the picture came out. The others gathered around, smiling at their happy expressions.

No one even noticed the man walking away, until Kasumi turned and shouted after him. **“Thank you, sir!”** She called out, resulting in a chorus of thank yous to follow after.

But while his friends were still celebrating, Akira’s focus remained on the man, who had only sent a wave back to them over his shoulder. He waved a hand back before slowly dropping it as a realization hit him.

Could it have been…?

**“Senpai? Is something the matter?”**

His attention was soon brought back to his friends, all looking at him with slightly worried expressions.

Akira only showed them his signature smile, tucking his hand back into his pocket. **“Yeah, I’m fine. You guys go ahead, I’ll meet with you soon.”**

Waving a hand to his friends as they turned to leave towards Leblanc to celebrate, Akira turned heel and immediately began to run towards the mysterious man in the hat that had taken their picture.

It can’t be.

There was no way, was it?

**“Dr. Maruki!”**

The man stopped mid-stride, glancing back at Akira in surprise, but even with his hat pulled down over his face, Akira could still make out glasses glinting under the bright sun.

 **“Akira? What are you doing?”** A tilt of the hat’s brim revealed dark, messy hair and those kind yet melancholic eyes he was so well-acquainted with. **“You should be with your friends; how do you even remember—”**

**“Of course I remember. How could I forget?”**

After all, the choice still echoed in the recesses of his mind, keeping him awake at night as he struggled to cope with the guilt of denying the truth. How he had to convince himself since that day that what he was doing was right for everyone, that he wasn’t being selfish. Through that single choice, Akira had given up his position as the messiah of the world, Satanael by his side, instead turning his back on the truth. Now…now he was a pariah in a world that was so familiar yet so eerily wrong and he didn’t know what to do, what to even think—

Akira didn’t even notice the slight tremble of his hands, now curled into tight fists, or the way his vision blurred at the corners with the beginnings of unshed tears.

He couldn’t cry, he refused to cry; he had to be strong for everyone, he had to—

**“Akira, you’re shaking.”**

Takuto looked at him with a mix of pity and concern, watching the way he tried to reequip that mask of calm indifference, failing each time. **“Do you regret the choice you made? To remain in this world?”**

Akira said nothing; he only continued to glare at the man before him.

The only other person who knew the truth of everything.

The one who had disappeared so suddenly from their lives as if he hadn’t existed, leaving Akira to cope on his own.

Takuto only sighed, removing his hat to run a hand through messy locks. He stared at the ground, brows knitted together and a conflicted expression on his tired features.

 **“You know, you’re allowed to take off your mask, Akira.”** Takuto said gently, finally looking back at the teen. **“You don’t have to suffer anymore. Sadly, I can’t give up on this reality for the sake of one person, so this is all I can offer.”** He closed the distance between them and slowly wrapped his arms around Akira, tight enough to provide a sense of warmth but loose enough that he could be pushed away if needed.

Takuto half-expected Akira to quickly move away, perhaps even deck him in the face for his insolence—he braced himself a little in case—but Akira didn’t make any movements. He just stood there, hands still clenched and eyes downcast as Takuto gently hugged him.

Just as Takuto was about to pull away and apologize, he felt arms wrap around him tightly, pulling him closer as Akira buried his head against his shoulder, the abrupt force of his hug nearly knocking the wind out of Takuto. He refused to look up, only clinging tightly to the counselor as he remained silent. But even Takuto could see the way his shoulders shook slightly with his quiet sobs, the cold tears seeping through his button-up.

 _‘How long had he been bottling this up?’_ Takuto wondered as he stared at the mess of black hair nestled into his shoulder. He didn’t want anyone to suffer in this new world, much less the person who had helped him make this world a reality through his research.

But how was he supposed to make Akira happy now if this false reality was the very source of his despair?

Takuto could only hope that this hug, this small token of comfort, would help Akira’s heart settle into finally accepting this reality. But in the back of his mind, he knew—not even this could soothe the guilt nor the loneliness of both parties.

So as the echoes of empty happiness resounded around them, the broken pariah and lonely false god stood together, trapped in their sorrows derived from their own desires to make others happy.

All for the joy of the world. 

**Author's Note:**

> Akira Kurusu needs a fucking hug from the P5R cast and I will damn well write it with my own two hands through the tears.


End file.
